New Haven Independent

That’s what seemed to tick off her constituents, and especially her Green Party supporters, when Joyce Chen voted against a bill two years ago to allow gay and lesbian couples to register at City Hall as committed couples. Her vote made the difference in the measure failing.

As New Haven’s Democratic party leaders seek to oust Chen (now a Democrat) in a primary this Tuesday, they’re backing a candidate who, believe it or not, doesn’t sound any more coherent on the issue. Call it the battle of the babblers, when it comes to gay rights.

Chen’s “Position”

Here’s how Joyce Chen “explained” her position in an interview at the time:

Why did you vote against the proposal?

“I think this kind of legislation is not going to do much [to eliminate discrimination] because it’s going to create a different kind of standard for people who have a different sexual orientation. That will widen the gap even further.”

So does that mean you would support gay marriage, making it equal?

“I don’t know. There are also a lot of things people have said in terms of children that I really need to think about.”

Do you think homosexuality is wrong?

“I don’t know how to answer that either. What does ‘wrong’ mean?”

Did you agree with the ministers who spoke against the bill at the hearing?
“I didn’t agree with a lot of them. There were some of them that brought up some good points.”

What was an example of a good point?
“I’d have to ask them exactly what they said. But there were some people talking about inner-city issues. … Overall I came in there having a good idea of how I was going to vote. …
“What concerns me more is how kids grow up thinking and making fun of gay people and having this discriminatory attitude toward gay people. It’s not just kids. If you look at people my age and older adults, all the side comments people might say: ‘Oh, I think he’s gay,’ or things like that. Even people who supposedly are very progressive and liberal, things like that come out of their mouth.”
Wasn’t the point of the bill to combat that kind of bigotry and show acceptance?
“[It’s] creating a different standard.”

Calder’s “Response”

Given that position and that “explanation,” one might expect a political machine looking to unseat Joyce Chen to find someone who would vote for civil rights and explain herself more clearly.

Think again.

The Democratic Party machine’s candidate in this coming Tuesday’s primary, Gina Calder, is indeed an especially articulate person—until the subject turns to gay civil rights. I asked her in an interview last week if she would have voted for the domestic registry bill.

“That’s an interesting question,” she responded. “I have not been able to look in detail at what the board was considering. So I can’t comment on that.”

OK. So, where does she stand on civil unions?

“Hmmm,” she responds. Pause. “It’s hard for me to say whether I’m for or against anything. I am a Christian and committed to my faith and working on learning more about the word of God and how I should live my life. In the word there are guidelines of what is considered sin and what isn’t.

“It is definitely sinful. It is in the word as one of the sexual sins. But I can’t say I’m for or against, because my calling as a Christian is to love every person. It’s not about condemning people.”

Since the 2003 vote, the state has legalized civil unions. So that particular bill is moot for New Haven aldermen, and for this election. Luckily for the voters of Ward 2.

For an entertaining account in the Advocate of a “discussion” between the two candidates on this issue, click here.